A new study by Unilever scientist, David Gunn has revealed that women with fuller, firmer lips are perceived to be younger than they actually are. The key to a perfect pout is to enhance five little known characteristics of the lip in a natural and subtle way.
Gunn’s study included 102 pairs of Dutch female twins ages 59 to 81 years and 162 individual British white women ages 45 to 75 years. “When we identified women who looked young for their age, we were struck by the difference in their lips,” said researcher David Gunn.
The study adds to evidence that women prefer full and pouting lips like those of Angelina Jolie and Scarlett Johansson not just because they look beautiful, but also because they look youthful.
Unfortunately, our lips change with age, resulting in thinning of both lips and drooping of the upper lip. Both gravity and aging will pull the sides of the lips downward, creating the familiar “marionette lines” that make many older women appear as if they’re perpetually frowning. The Cupid’s bow flattens out and the borders of the lips also fade.
In our practice, we advise our patients that a beautiful lip can be created with Juvederm and Restylane to plump the lips along with a tiny bit of Botox or Dysport around the lip sides to relax the lips for a smooth, pouty appearance.
Here are the 5 Golden Rules at the Reflections Center to create more youthful lips:
- We enhance the edges of the lips to prevent “lipstick bleeding” and to project the lips.
- We fill the vertical lip lines, sometimes called “smoker’s lines.”
- We restore the natural volume of the lips, with the goal of the upper lip being 2/3 the size of the lower lip, although race can affect these norms. For example, the standard for African American lips is for the upper and lower lip to be the same size.
- The use of Botox at the sides of the lips contributes to an “upturned” appearance.
- We place a bit of filler in the columns of the upper lip as well as the Cupid’s bow.
Lip augmentation is a simple lunchtime procedure that’s done in the office in only a few minutes. In the hands of an experienced physician, you and your lips will look luscious and youthful! Call our office to schedule a consultation to discuss how we can give you more youthful lips!
